U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore urges Trump to declare Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern” over rising Christian killings, calling it a humanitarian crisis.
A U.S. congressman, Rep. Riley M. Moore of West Virginia, has appealed to former President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio to reclassify Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern (CPC)” due to what he described as the ongoing persecution and mass killings of Christians.
In a letter dated October 6, 2025, addressed to the U.S. State Department, Moore described the situation in Nigeria as “the systematic persecution and slaughter of Christians.” He urged Washington to suspend all arms sales and military aid to Nigeria until its government demonstrates genuine commitment to ending religiously motivated violence.
“As a Christian nation founded upon biblical principles, the United States bears a unique obligation to stand for the freedom and protection of Christians worldwide,” Moore wrote, adding that “Nigeria has become the deadliest place in the world to be a Christian.”
Citing reports from global watchdogs including Open Doors International, Moore revealed that over 7,000 Christians have been killed in Nigeria in 2025 alone, averaging 35 deaths daily. He also noted that since 2009, 19,100 churches have been destroyed or attacked, while 850 Christians remain in terrorist captivity.
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The congressman accused extremist groups such as Boko Haram, Ansaru, and ISIS-West Africa of orchestrating the widespread violence. He further alleged that corrupt elements within Nigeria’s government may be complicit in the atrocities.
Moore condemned the actions of some northern state governments, claiming that Christian orphanages have been forcibly closed and children reeducated under Islamic teachings. He also criticized the enforcement of anti-blasphemy laws, describing them as tools of state-backed persecution.
“The Nigerian government’s narrative that terrorism affects all faiths equally is misleading. Christians are overwhelmingly the most targeted for persecution and violence,” he emphasized, warning that the crisis amounts to “a form of genocide.”
The lawmaker urged the Trump administration to restore the CPC designation that was first imposed during Trump’s presidency but removed under President Joe Biden in 2021.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has strongly denied the allegations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs described such claims as “unfounded and politically motivated,” maintaining that the nation upholds religious freedom and does not persecute any faith group.